Washing machine



July 9, 1929. c. H. CANFIELD 1.720.466

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l II:rII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/l/llI/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII/lllllllilI/IiYlI/II/l/IIlIIIIiIIlIIllI/ll l-\ Q INVENT R harlas jz C'mfie ATT E J y 1 c. H. CANFIIELD 1.720.466

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 17 J7 J/ 2 Z3 Z6 v30 2 2! 26 i E i 68 5 4 0 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. CANFIELD, OF SYRACUSE, YORK.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed July 11,

This invention relates to clothes washing apparatus of the pounder type and aims among other objects to provide an improved pounder and guiding means therefor.

This application may be regarded as an iinprovement ona pending application, filed by me 011 October 28, 1926, Ser. No. 144,781.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a washing machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in another position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the pounder and showing a part of the arm and guide rod Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the plunger with the supporting post for the plunger shown in section;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the joint between the cone and the cap;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the present embodiment of this invention is shown as comprising a pounder of novel construction and means for mounting the same to obtain the best results.

Herein, there is shown a bracket 10 detachably and rotatably mounted upon an upstanding trunnion on a clamp bracket 11, adapted to be securedon a tub or othe similar receptacle 12. Pivoted at 13 at the upper end of the bracket is the main or operating lever 14 which is preferably longer than the distance across the receptacle to be used and has a suitable handle 15 on its free end.

Pivoted at 16 at the lower end of the bracket 10 is an arm 17 which extends approximately to the center of the receptacle. One or more links 18 are pivoted at their end to the lever 14 and the arm 17 at 19 and 20 respectively. The distance between the pivot points 16 and 20 is considerably less than the distance between the pivot points 13 and 19 for a reason to be explained. It is preferable that the arm 17 be urged normally toward the lever 14 by a spring 21 which may be connected at one end to the arm 17 and at the other end to the lever The arm 17 carries on its inner end an improved pounder which is mounted in a novel manner. Herein the pounder is shown as comprising a substantially frusto-conical cup 1927. Serial No. 204,959.

22 which is open at its bottom end and has its lower edge rolled inwardly to strengthen the same and prevent splashing the water, also to leave the outside with no ridges that would prevent the clothes that might touch the outside ofthe cone from sliding oil. 1

In the present instance, the upper part of the cone 22 lSClttlllPOtl between a flanged cap 23 and a washer 24 in such a manner as to form a water-tight joint without the use of solder or the like. The cap is recessed, preferably by machining to form a socket, the lower portion of its wall being at approximately the same angle of inclination as the cone 22 to form a seat 25 for the upper portion thereof and the upper portion 26 of the wall being at a greater angle of inclination to present a bending edge 27 at their point of juncture for a purpose to be explained.

Referring to Fig. 3 the cap is there shown as having a depending boss formed centrally thereof and provided with a threaded aperture to receive the threaded upper end of a post 28. The washer 24 is preferably, though not necessarily, in the form of a hollow semisphere and having an inclined face 29 of less angularity than the inclined portion 26 but more than the seat 25.

Inassembling the pounder, the cap placed over the upper part of the cone 22 and the washer 24 is placed inside the upper part thereof. The post- 28, which carries a lock nut 30' is screwed into the boss and the lock nut tightened, which forces the washer to ward the upper end of the cone and flares the end of the cone outwardly above the edge 27, at the same time securely clamping the wall of the cone between the inclined face 29 of the washer and the edge 27, making a water-tight joint.

i The cap is provided with upstanding ears or lugs 31 arranged substantially in the center thereof. These lugs are suitablyapertured to receive a horizontal pivot pin 32 on which a block 33 is mounted. The free end of the block is bifurcated to form cars 34 between which the reduced end of the arm 17 pivoted on apin 35 extending through the cars at substantially right angles to the pin 32. This construction allows the cup to tilt slightly in any direction when meeting the uneven surfaces of the clothes. Moreover, the joint is subjected to less strain and the pressure is applied more evenly around the rim of the cup.

For maintaining the cup 22 in proper position and guiding it during the movement of the parts, a spring rod 36 is provided which is slidable through the lever 14 and rigidly secured at its lower end to the cup 22. Herein, a boss 37 is formed on the cap in front of the cars 34 and has a socket portion 38 into which the lower end of the rod 36 is driven or otherwise secured. This guide rod 36 tends to keep the cup in line with the handle, but permits it to adjust itself to uneven surfaces such as are met in pounding clothes by the rod bending and allowing the cup to move out of natural position with reference to the handle, as shown in Fig. 2.

To prevent the clothes from entering the cup 22 and to open the meshes of the cloth, a spider-like plunger 39 is suitably secured as by screw-threading orthe like to the lower end of the post 28.

Herein, the plunger is shown as having a plurality of downwardly inclined, ribbed arms 40, the extreme lower ends being provided with enlarged button-like projections 41 which are spaced from the lower edge of the cup 22 and on approximately the same plane. Other projections 42 are also formed on the lower side of each arm at an intermediate point and another projection 43 may be formed at the center of the plunger. The projections'42 are slightly above the projections 41 and the center one 43 is still higher.

These projections being spaced to give free passage of water or suds between them, form small open spaces across which the clothes are held. As the cup is brought downwardly the rim of the cup and the projections 41 engage the clothes first and then the projections 42 and 43 in succession. These points of Contact tend to hold the clothes by friction while the fabric is stretched between them, opening the meshes to the action of the suds on the embedded dirt.

The open end of the cup thus consists of several smaller openings, so that the loose ends of the clothes will be caught and not pass into the cup with the suds. Without these projections the suds would all flow through the point of least resistance and no other parts of the clothes would get the benefit of the suds passing through them. Moreover, by dividing the power of the pressure applied to force the suds through the clothes over several small openings or spaces, instead of one large opening, less strain is put on the cloth 1n any one place, preventlng damage to any weaker portion of the fabric.

The construction of the pounder permits the easy replacement of any damaged parts and soldered joints are not needed. By dividing the load of the plunger and the cup between two bearings in the cap there is an increased factor of safety from damage of overload. The load of the plunger which is much great er than that on the cone minimizes the danger of breaking the seal of the cone where it is connected to the cap.

In the operation of the device, the lever 14 is forced downwardly and the link 18, connected with the lever and the arm 17 will operate to force the latter downwardly. The air which, of course, fills the cup at the top of its stroke is trapped as the cup is brought into forcible engagement with the clothes and as the downward pressure is increased the air, being compressed, permits the water and suds to pass upwardly through the open meshes of the clothes. On the upstroke, there is a tendency to form a vacuum in the cup and the clothes will be lifted to the surface of the liquid where the vacuum is then broken so that the clothes will drop back into the tub.

Owing to the peculiar pivoting of the arm 17 with respect to the lever 14 and the loca tion of the points 19 and 20 at which the links 18 are pivoted to the lever and arm, it is clear that at the beginning of the downstroke the movement of the cup is rather rapid. This is desirable, as it causes agitation of the suds and as no particular power is needed to bring the cup into engagement with the clothes. As the downward movement of the lever is continued, the speed of the cup decreases on account of the pivot and link arrangement and, as the speed decreases,

the compressive power against the clothes increases proportionately while there is no change in the rate of movement of the lever. This is also highly desirable as a greater degree of power is needed to force the cup downwardly against the compressed clothes as they are offering greater resistance at this time.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will be apparent that there has been provided a simply constructed, inexpensive and easily operated device which will eificiently perform all the functions for which it is intended.

Obviously the present invention is not re stricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations.

,VVhat is claimed is 1. In a pounder washer having a support adapted tobe mounted upon a receptacle, an actuating lever pivoted to said support for swinging movement; an arm pivoted to the fill support for swinging movement; a link pivotally connected to the lever and the arm, a pounder cup carried by the arm; a resilient rod carried by the cup and engaging the lever for guiding the cup during its movement.

2. A pounder for clothes washing apparatus comprising, in combination, a pounder cup; a cap for the cup a lock washer adapted to fit in the cup near its upper end; means for securing the cup between the cap and the lock Washer, said means including a depending screw threaded stem secured to the cap within the cup and a nut on the stem to engage the washer; and a plunger rigidly supported within the cup by said stem.

3. A clothes pounder comprising, in combination, an expansible frusto-conical cup; a cap; a depending cup engaging flange 011 the cap having an inner surface conforming to and fitting the outer surface of the cup and a second inner surface coextensive with and at an angle to the firstanentioned sur face arranged to permit the top end of the cup when inserted in the cap to be flared outwardly; clamping means within the cup and adjustably secured to the cap to expand the upper edge of the cup outwardly toward the second mentioned surface, to secure the cup to the cap.

4,. A clothes pounder comprising, in combination, an expansible frusto-eonical cup; a

cap therefor having an inner lower frustoconical surface adapted to engage the outer surface of the cup below its top and having an upper co-extending frusto-conical surface spaced radially from the top of the cup; means within the cup adapted to expand the top of the cup toward said upper surface and clamp the same against the apex of the surfaces; and a spider plunger secured to the cap and arranged within the cup.

5. A pounder Washer comprising, in combination, a support; an operating lever pivoted to the support and having a guide aperture therethrough; an arm pivoted to the support; a link pivotally connecting the arm to'the lever; a pounder cup carried by the arm; and a resilient rod secured to the cup and slidable through the aperture in the lever.

6. A pounder Washer comprising, in con1- bination, a support; an operating lever pivoted to the support; an arm pivoted to the support; means operahly connecting the arm to the lover; a cup; a flexible joint operably connecting the cup to the arm and resilient means carried by the cup and slidable through the lever to guide the cup and permit the same to tilt and adjust itself.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

CHARLES H. CANFIELD. 

